Joint effort to further upgrade Cyprus-US relations, FM says in Washington (video)

Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos has held meetings in the US Capitol, during which the common willingness to further upgrade the Cyprus-US relations was confirmed.

In statements in front of the Capitol, the Minister said that he visited the Capitol as part of his US visit and he had a meeting with the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee and with the leadership of the Democrats both in the Senate and the House.

"We had the opportunity to discuss primarily the Cyprus problem as well as the developments in the region, the upgraded role of Cyprus and the cooperation between Cyprus and the USA. The common conclusion from these meetings is the confirmation of the excellent relation that has been formed between the USA and Cyprus and our joint effort to further upgrade this relationship in order to become a strategic ally with the USA", he said.

Meanwhile, in front of the Capitol building a symbolic candlelight ceremony took place condemning the 50 years since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus.

"Five decades of occupying one third of our country. Aggression can not be rewarded. Enough. We are here to make clear that our struggle will continue until we have justice for Cyprus, until we have the reunification of Cyprus, of our island" Kombos stressed.

Furthermore, in a post on 'X', the Minister wrote that he was "honored to have met Mrs Pelosi, who joined the symbolic Candlelight Vigil in front of the US Capitol Building, marking the tragic 50th Anniversary of the Turkish Invasion and occupation of Cyprus".

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres appointed María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar of Colombia as his personal envoy for Cyprus, to assume a Good Offices role on his behalf and search for common ground on the way forward in the Cyprus issue. 

In the video below, Kombos' statements in English at the candlelight ceremony follow his initial statements in Greek.

(Source: CNA)